British regimental number research. First World War research. Military research. British Army regiments. Regimental numbering sequences between 1881 and 1918. Regimental number series. Other rank prisoners of war 1914.

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WW1 Medal Index Cards 1914-1920First World War campaign medal entitlement details for close to 5 million men. You'll find ALL of a man's regimental numbers indexed here. Ancestry's search is limited to the last number a man was issued with; a serious failing.

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was born on 1st July 1881. The 1st Battalion was created out of the old 102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fus...

Regimental Numbers

When did my relative enlist? When did my grandfather join up? On what date did he join his regiment?

A man's regimental number can tell you a lot about when he joined and even which battalion he joined. Note however, that there is a distinction between "enlisted" and "joined".

A man would generally enlist once - and be given a regimental number - or army number - on joining his regiment. If he joined another regiment he would be given a different number.

He could even be given a different number if he joined another battalion of the same regiment. In all probability this number would not be unique and could be repeated in many battalions and regiments throughout the British Army.

This blog aims to guide the researcher through the maze of regimental numbers issued by the British Army between 1881 and 1918.

The Army Service Numbers Database

The Army Service Numbers database is a database of British Army regimental numbers. This has been compiled from original sources, principally WO 363, WO 364, WO 96, WO 97 and WO 372 at the National Archives in London.

The database covers most units of the British Army which issued regimental numbers between the years 1881 and 1918: Infantry Regiments, Cavalry and Yeomanry, Royal Artillery and Royal Army Medical Corps.

What you will find on this blog is data from a far larger data set - generally one number per year up until 1914 and then one number per month from August 1914 onwards.

As general rules:

1. Army Service Numbers for regular battalions are uncomplicated and largely sequential up until 1914.

2. Numbering in the British Army becomes more complicated from December 1915.